Art, Time, and Self: A Creative Process Unveiled
“The present was an egg laid by the past that had the future inside its shell.”
Why This Quote Resonates: Time’s Flow
I chose this quote because it captures the flow of time in a powerful and poetic way. It reminded me that nothing exists in isolation — everything happening now is a result of something that came before, and everything we do now shapes what’s coming next.
Personally, it made me think about how my own life is constantly being shaped by past experiences, decisions, and even mistakes, and how I still carry potential for the future inside me. It’s a reminder that the present moment is fragile, full of potential, and deeply connected to everything that came before it.
My Creative Process: Visualizing Abstract Concepts
Brainstorming Symbols for Time and Connection
When I began the project, I started by brainstorming visual symbols that could represent the past, present, and future — and how they’re all connected. That’s when I imagined the idea of a clock (representing time), an egg (representing potential), and a person walking (representing movement toward the future).
Artistic Execution: A Surreal Vision
I decided to draw a surreal-style artwork with a cracked egg at the center. Inside the egg, I drew subtle hints of a growing tree and stars — representing growth and destiny. Behind the egg, I placed a large clock fading into the background, showing how time is always ticking. I used a man walking forward to represent someone stepping into the future — someone like me.
Materials and Color Palette Choices
For materials, I used pencil for sketching the shapes and black fine-liner pens to add contrast and clarity to the most important parts (like the man, the clock hands, and the shell’s cracks). Then I used soft-colored pencils to shade different areas, using warm tones (like orange and gold) inside the egg to show hope and potential, and cooler, faded tones (gray, blue) outside the egg to represent the unknown and passage of time.
Compositional Balance: Past, Present, Future
Composition-wise, I kept the egg centered as the “present,” with the walking man moving from left to right (symbolizing forward momentum). I tried to balance space by keeping the past in the background, the present in the middle, and the future slightly ahead of the figure walking. I knew the artwork was done when the balance of those three stages felt clear and emotionally meaningful to me.
Reflection and Learning: Art’s Personal Impact
What surprised me the most was how personal the process became. At first, I thought I was just making something visual for class, but while drawing, I started thinking deeply about my own past and where I’m heading. I realized that making art forces you to slow down and be honest — especially when you’re trying to capture abstract ideas like time or growth.
One of the hardest parts was figuring out how to visually show something invisible, like the future. I had to trust my instincts and let the symbols speak. The creative process also reminded me that art doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. The little imperfections in the drawing actually made it feel more real and human.
Overall, I learned that I can express my thoughts and emotions better through images than I expected. It helped me appreciate how creativity can make you think differently and more deeply, not just about the world, but about yourself.